US delegation in northern Syria to mediate between Turkey, SDF

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies + Al Mayadeen Net
6 Jul 2022 17:03
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A US delegation headed by US Senator Lindsey Graham visited areas in northeastern Syria and met SDF leaders in an attempt to reduce tension between the Kurds and the Turks.

An American delegation in Al-Hasakah to mediate between Turkey and SDF

A US delegation headed by US Senator Lindsey Graham visited the areas of northeastern Syria under the control of the SDF militias, with the aim of mediating between Turkey and the SDF militia, and presenting a new vision for reconciliation between the two parties.

The move came in conjunction with Turkey sending large military reinforcements to contact line with SDF militias and the rising possibility of launching a new Turkish military operation in northern Syria.

Al Mayadeen sources confirmed that "the delegation visited Al-Hol camp, which contains families of ISIS, and Ghweran prison in the city of Al-Hasakah, which contains thousands of ISIS members detained by the SDF."

The sources added that Graham "met leaders in the SDF, MSD, and the Autonomous Administration, with the aim of presenting his special vision to reduce tensions between the Kurds and the Turks, and to find a mechanism to avoid a new war in the region."

Furthermore, Al Mayadeen's sources revealed "the proposal to establish a buffer zone along the areas controlled by the SDF on the border with the Turkish side, and to grant Turkey economic privileges, in exchange for the latter stopping its expected military operation in northern Syria."

The US senator's visit comes as part of a Middle Eastern tour that began in Turkey and Iraq, where he met the Presidents of the Republic, the Prime Ministers, the Speakers of Parliament, and the head of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

Sen. Graham confirmed in a group of tweets on Twitter that he will do everything in his power to make the sale of F-16 fighters to Turkey a success, and to strengthen relations between the US and Turkey, given Turkey's importance in the national security of the United States.

These fighter jets, in the hands of our NATO allies, will create a sense of stability and provide capability to the Turkish military that is most definitely in America’s national security interests.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) July 4, 2022

The delegation is not expected to succeed in convincing Turkey that the SDF is not the military wing of the PKK, especially following the aggressive position it has held regarding the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO.

Previously, On May 23, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that "the Turkish army intends to carry out anti-terror military operations at the Turkish state borders," noting that "the decision on these operations will be taken soon."

Commenting on this, the Russian envoy to Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev, said the possible Turkish military operation in northern Syria would create "new security threats" to Turkey.